The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Tennis Earns ITA All-Academic Team Honors
July 16 | Women's Tennis
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SKILLMAN, N.J. — The University of Akron women's tennis team earned ITA All-Academic Team honors, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced on Thursday.
Additionally, six Zips were named 2015 ITA Scholar Athletes— freshman Maria Bessmertnaya (Pyatigorsk, Russia), junior Madison Cohen (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.), freshman Sophia Geier (Burgebrach, Germany), freshman Kati Mdzinarishvili (Hudson, Ohio), senior Olga Shkundina (Ufa, Russia), and junior Martina Zerbola (Neuquen, Argentina).
"It is wonderful to see our team receive this award, once again," Zips head coach Brandon Padgett said. "We definitely focus on academics here at Akron, and our players showed that. Having six student-athletes individually receive this honor makes me extremely proud, as this is the majority of our total roster. We will continue to focus on both high levels of performance, in the classroom and on the court, this coming season as well."
The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any ITA member program that has a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.20 or above (on a 4.00 scale). The Zips finished the 2014-15 year with a 3.489 team GPA. Akron has received this recognition in five of the last six years.
In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a player must meet the following criteria: be a varsity letterwinner, have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters (including freshman thorough senior year).
Akron concluded the 2014-15 season at 11-11 overall and 3-5 MAC.
"At its core, college tennis is about higher education! And, our sport has always been a leader when it comes to high performing scholar-athletes," said Timothy Russell, Chief Executive Officer of the ITA. "This group represents the best of the best, as do their coaches who regularly serve as such great teachers and mentors of our sport's finest young people. Hearty and well-deserved congratulations coupled with loud cheers go out to all of these superstars of intercollegiate athletics."
Akron's ITA Scholar Athletes
Maria Bessmertnaya 3.957 Business
Madison Cohen 3.592 Biology
Sophia Geier 3.897 Sport Management
Kati Mdzinarishvili 3.834 Respiratory Therapy
Olga Shkundina 3.500 Sport Management
Martina Zerbola 3.956 Accounting
Players Mentioned
